1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates generally to identifying assets, and more particularly to assessing viability and marketability of assets.
2. Description of the Background Art
Many entities, including but not limited to enterprises, universities, research and development labs, for example, typically generate and maintain assets on a regular basis. In some embodiments, intellectual property assets may be generated on a periodical basis, such as daily. These intellectual property assets may comprise new or revised software scripts, engineering designs, technologies, processes for performing an activity, or any other innovative solutions, be it tangible or not. Essentially, the intellectual property asset may comprise any technology that is something of value to an entity.
While many entities are aware of their ownership of these intellectual property assets, management and marketing of these intellectual property assets become a challenge. In some instances, the assets are managed through a legal department, such as an intellectual property department. However, few of these entities actively seek to market, license, or sell assets considered incidental to their normal course of business. Often, assets that are considered core to the entity's products or services are recognized and commercialized, but many other assets often remain untapped for potential value.